Rotor brake



C. E. TACK ROTOR BRAKE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 28. 1949 INVENTOR. dad I 7&01;

Oct. 27, 1953 c. E. TACK 2,656,900

ROTOR BRAKE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 28. 1949 INVENTOR. C(ZZZ Z. Za/Z Patented Oct. 27, 1953 Cai'IE. Tack,Chica'go, 111., assignor to American i Steel Foundries, Gliicago, 111., a corporation of "Newlersey ls ucmonmay-cs, 1949, Serial No. 95,961

(orrswror) 12 Glaims. 1

This invention. relates to" brakes arid-more particularly to a novel mechanical linkage adapted to connect brake shoe actuating levers of a railway disc brake to associated" hand brake means. 'Ageneral object 'of'the invention is tofdeirise a novel compact hand brake arrangement which may .be readily assembled and disassembled, and of rugged design capable or Withstandingthe severe vibrations and shocks of railway service. Amore specific object .of the invention is to provide a maximum. area within thenecessary space limitations o'ia railway car truck iorthe brake .cylinder .and ,piston ."device which is attached to the' innerextrernities ofthe'brake shoe actuating levers. 'l'Tl'iislobject of the invention is .laccomiili'shed lby connecting the hand brake means'to the hbrakeeshoe actuating levers forwardly t orwoutwar'dly ofytheir pivotal; fulcrums on the brakesupport structure of the-truck.

'Aiurther objector the invention-is.-to..dev-ise a .compactsand' ruggedhand-brake in which the hand brake actuating lever'isJfu1crumed .on:a common fulcrum with one of the braketshoe actuating levers and is housed within andeguidablyengagedwith an equalizerland one -of, a pair of a links operably connecting the equalizer to handbrake actuating arms of thelbrakeshoe operating levers.

,Stillanother object ofthe invention is to devise anovel discbrake arrangementtor a railway cartruck wherein the inboard and outboard ends of a "cylinder;housinghareuprovided withlhollow extensions orl lugs which afiord. a dual: purpose of. connectingltheuhousingr to theltruck frameand oiencasing .1 release #springs .operably associated with the innerextrerriities of l the .brake shoe actuating levers, thereby. accommodating release springs of maximum; length andso arrangedas to act uponthe maximum leverarms oi the brake shoe operating levers.

"The .foregoing andwother objects and advantages of the inventionswill become apparent from a consideration ofthe following specificationand accompanying ..drawings (wherein Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan view showing approximately oneequarterdof a railway car truck having the novel disc "brake mechanism applied thereto;

Figure f 2 l is a. side .elevational .view, with. the brake. support and a: portion of thextruck .frame in. sectionronlthe line 2-4 of" Figure 1;

"Figure 3'- is a sectionalvie-w on the'linel3-.3 of Figure 1;

Z'Figure '4 is anen'largedtonplan vievwpartlyin central 7 horizontal section of "the disc brake mechanism remove'dirom' the truck;

'Figure'5 isa fragmentary sectional view on the line 55'o-fFigure 4, and

; .Figure 6 is a sectionalview on the line 6- 6 of Figures iIn-each of said figures, certain details maybe eliminated where more clearly seen in other views. Describing the invention in detail and referring rst to the general assembly views of'Figuresl to '3' inclusive, the. novel. brake mechanism is illustrate'd'as' applied to a truck frame structurgenerally designated 2 and shownlindotuan'd dash lines inFig'ures 1 to"3,- said structure includinga framehavingsa side rail 4. at each side thereof and a transom li'interconnecting the side rails #:adjacent a wheel and axle assemb,ly,.1 enerally designatedi 8 and including an iaiile l0,. a wheel 12, and a brake disc 14 secured 'for rotation thereto as by screws orstuds 16,.Figurei2. I

At each end thereof; the side: ra'ilJLis vprovided with a pair or depending pedestals or legs [8 adapted to embrace. an associated journalubox (not shown) which aifor'ds support'for anequalizer seat 20 supportingan endtof a conventional equalizer "22 ffragmentarily shown in Figure 3, said equalizer beingla'dapted to afford-spring support in the conventionalmannermrtheframe 2, as will be readilylunder'stoodby those. skilled in the art.

The inboard side ofnthe. equalizer seat. improvi'ded with a (bracket 24. containing top .andbottom sets oferesilient padslfi confining a torque armt28 connecteclitotheoutboardendnof a hol low lug v-or exten'sion'30 oia cylinder. housing--32, the inboard end .of which is; providedwith a similar lug or eXtensioniSO, eachof the 1ugs30 being secure'ditotheiframe transom-1i by a bracket 34 mounted on theltransom. by bolt and nut assemblies '36 and providedcwith .ac1amping. plate :38 secured thereto as by bolt and nut assemblies.

As .best seen inFigures Land leaching-301s generally square inv crossv section anduis; preferably arranged witheopposed corners thereof b at the top..and bottom thereof,,as best-shown in Figure 2. Theforward. and rear surfaces of the lug 30 are. abutted ands-confined by ea l forward resilient pad 42 -andlthe.rear surfacescof thellug 30 are confineduby a. rear resilient pad 44,l.thepad 42' being clamped against the: mg 30 bytthe clamp plate'38, and the pad being clampedbetween the lug 30.=and the bracket/34 Icy-the plate138 as clearly shown inFigureNZ. :The top of v. the cylinder housings-l2 is .provided with; an opening 16 normally :closed by a cover plate-48 securedtoithe housing-as by screwsw5ll. The cover plate. iskprovidedwith a nozzle- 52 secured thereto as by screws 54 and adapted to afiord a convenient fitting for connection to an associated supply of fluid pressure such as a compressed air line (not shown). The plate 48 is also secured by screws 56, Figure l to a cylinder unit 58 (Figure 4) having openings 68 complementary to and receiving the screws 58.

Referrin again to Figure 1, the housing contains a pair of brake shoe actuating levers 62 and 64 pivoted by pins 66 and 88 to inboard and outboard brake heads 70 and 72 carrying brake shoes 14 and 16 adapted upon actuation of the lever 82 and 64 to frictionally engage opposite sides of the brake disc I8.

Referring now to Figures 4 to 6 inclusive, it will be seen that the cylinder 58 contains spaced pistons I8 engageable with theinner ends of the levers 62 and 84 and comprises an air port 88 adapted to conduct actuating fluid from the nozzle 52 to the cylinder 58 between the pistons 18, as best seen in Figure 4 thereby actuating the levers 62 and 64 under normal conditions.

The brake levers 62 and 84 extend into a hollow fulcrum casting 82 and are fulcrumed thereto by pivot pins 84 and 86 respectively, extending through bushed openings 88 in the fulcrum casting 82, and through bushed openings 90 and 92 in the levers 62 and 84 respectively.

The front and rear extremities of the casting 82 are provided with substantially co-axial trunnions 94 and 96 respectively, as best seen in Figures 4 and 5, said trunnions extending through bushed openings 98 and I in spaced walls I 02 and I04 of the cylinder housing 32, thereby ac,- commodating pivotal movement of the fulcrum casting 82 during angling of the wheel and axle assembly 8, with respect to the truck frame 2, as will be understood by those skilled in the art. Such pivotal movement of the fulcrum member 82 is positively limited by abutment of down wardly facing bosses I03 thereof with aligned bosses I05 of the cylinder housing 32 as best seen in Figures 5 and 6.

The top and bottom walls of the fulcrum casting'82 are inwardly ofiset as at I85 and I88 respectively (Figures 5 and 6) to define a chamber receiving the top and bottom walls H8 and H2 of an equalizer member or lever II4 engaged by a nose H8 of a hand brake operating lever II8 extending through a complementary slot I20 of the housing 32, and through a slot I22 of the lever 62, said lever II8 having a bushed opening I24 receiving the pin 8-4 which thus affords pivotal fulcrum for the lever II8 as well as the lever 62. The pin 84 is loosely fitted in the open ing I24 to accommodate tilting of the fulcrum 82 on the trunnions 94 and 98. It may be noted that the lever 64 is provided with a similar slot I22 so that the levers 62 and 64 are interchangeable.

The equalizer H4 is connected by an inboard loop or link I26 to a pair of top and bottom actuator arms or lugs 528 on the lever 62 and by an outboard loop I26 to a pair of similar actuator arms or lugs I30 on the lever 84, and as best seen in Figure 6, the hand brake operating lever II8 extends between the lugs I28 of the lever 82, the nose H6 of the lever H8 being engaged as at I32 (Figures 4 and 5) with the equalizer H4.

Thus, upon actuation of the lever II8, the latter rotates counterclockwise about the pin 84 as seen in Figure 4, and the nose IIS of the lever I I8 moves the equalizer II4 to the right within-the fulcrum casting 82 along the guide surfaces I86 and I08 thereof, thereby pulling the crum pivotally mounted on links I26 and the arms I 28 and I38 of the levers 62 and 64 to engage the brake shoes I4 and IS with the disc I4. It may be noted that upon release of the levers 82 and 88, a pair of springs I34 housed within the lugs 38 and guidably mounted within cylindrical spring containers I35 welded therewithin as at I36, are operable to restore the levers 82 andfi l to their released position shown in the drawings.

Pivotal or tilting movement of the fulcrum casting 82 on its trunnions 94 and 98 during engagement of the shoes 74 and 16 with the brake disc I4 as the wheel and axle assembly angles vertically with respect to the truck frame 2, is limited as above-described by bosses I03 and I05 and is yieldingly resisted by resilient pads I38 mounted within openings I40 of the cylinder housing 32 and compressed against heads I42 of the pins 84 and 86 by spring caps I44 secured to the housing 32 over the openings I40 as by screws I46.

It may be noted that the nose HS of the lever II8, as best seen in Figure 5, is guidably received between the walls H0 and H2 of the equalizer II4 which is in turn guidably received between the top and bottom surfaces I06 and I08 of the fulcrum casting 82, and the loops I26 aresnugly fitted over the equalizer I I0 and the actuator lugs I28 and I30 of the levers 62 and 64, thereby providing an arrangement in which the hand brake parts are guidably interengaged with each other to prevent excessive vibratory movements be-- tween the parts while accommodating movement thereof during actuation of the brake levers 62 and 84 to applied and released positions thereof and during pivoting of fulcrum member 82 on its trunnions 9'4 and 98. Furthermore, in the released position of the levers 62 and 64, the springs I34 are operable to maintain the links I25 in tight engagement with the actuator arms I28 and I30 and with the equalizer H4, thereby limiting vibration between brake linkage.

I claim: ,1

1. In a brake arrangement for a railway car truck having a wheel and axle assembly including rotatable brake surfaces; the combination of a brake support structure mounted on the truck and including a cylinder housing, a cylinder and piston device in said housing, a pair of levers pivotally fulcrumed to said structure and having their inner ends projecting into the housing and operatively associated with said device, friction means carried by the levers for braking engagement with said surfaces, said levers having pairs of arms respectively on their adjacent sides, an equalizer between the levers, an operating lever projecting between the arms of one pair and engaged with the equalizer, loops surrounding respective pairs of arms and the equalizer, one of the loops surrounding a portion of the operating lever, and independent springs within the housing associated with the inner ends of respective levers for yieldingly urging the same to release position.

2. A brake arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the equalizer is provided with top and bottom webs embracing the operating lever, the

top web being supported by the operating lever.

3. In a brake arrangement for a railway car truck having a wheel and axle assembly including a rotor; the combination of a brake support.

structure carried by the truck, a brake lever fula substantially horizontal axis to said structure, a pair of brake the above-described hand levers pi otally fulcrumed on substantially vernear axes-to said fulcrum; arms formed on said leverspa power device housed in said structure and op'erativ'ely connected to 'said levers, and

handbrake means housed within the fulcrum and operatively associated with said" levers "for actuation thereof independently of said "device, said i hand *brake "means including an *equal-izer snugly and slid'ably confined between substantiallyhorizontal topand bottom surf aces or the fulcrum; and'anoperating lever disposed "between top and bottomsurfacesof the equalizer'=and affording a slidable seat forsaid top-surfacethereoil-"and links connecting the equalizer to the arms of the brake levers.

4."-'In' 'a brake arrangement for arailway car truck comprisingaa whe'eharid axle; assembly includingrotatable brake surfaces; the combination are" brake support structuret-i-ncluding-a cylinderi housing and elongatedhollow extensions vatthe inboard and outboard endsthereof, means for connecting'the structure to the truck comprising removable means connected between the extensions and the truck, a pair of brake levers pivotally fulcrumed to said structure and carrying brake shoes for braking engagement with rotatable surfaces of said assembly, arms formed on said levers, a hand brake operating means for actuating said levers, and release means for said levers comprising springs housed in said exten sions and operatively associated with the lever for actuating the same to released position, the hand brake operating means comprising an equalizer between the levers, an operating lever having a portion engaged with the equalizer, and loops surrounding the equalizer adjacent respective ends thereof, said loops being engaged with the arms of respective levers.

5. In a brake arrangement for a railway car truck having a wheel and axle assembly including rotatable brake surfaces; the combination of a brake support structure carried by the truck and including a cylinder housing, a piston and cylinder device within the housing, a pair of brake levers having corresponding ends thereof extending into the housing for operative association with said device, pivotal means for fulcruming the respective levers to said structure, said levers having operating arms fixed thereto and disposed outwardly of said pivotal means, and hand brake operating means operatively connected to said arms for urging the same toward said device, the outer ends of said levers having friction means engageable with said surfaces, the hand brake operating means comprising an equalizer between the levers, an operating lever having a portion engaged with the equalizer, and loops surrounding the equalizer adjacent respective ends thereof, said loops being engaged with the arms of respective levers.

6. In a brake arrangement for a railway car truck having a wheel and axle assembly including rotatable brake surfaces; the combination of a brake support structure carried by the truck and including a cylinder housing, a piston and cylinder device within the housing, a pair of brake levers having corresponding ends thereof extending into the housing for operative association with said device, pivotal means for fulcruming the respective levers to said structure, said levers having operating arms fixed thereto and disposed outwardly of said pivotal means, and hand brake operating means operatively connected to said arms for urging the same toward said device, the outer ends of said levers having friction means *en'gagea-ble with'said surf aces the membrane eratin'g means comprising an equalizerlhavingm top wall, an operating lever overlying the top wall and slidably supporting the saj-meyand loop members connecting the equalizer toi the-arms iof the respective levers.

7. In a brake arrangement for =a4railwaywar truckhaving a wheel* and axle assembly including rotatable brake surfaces? the combination of a brake -suppo'rt' structure suppo'rted'by the tr-uck, a pair of leversp-ivotallyfulcrumed to said-structure, "friction I means :carried by said levers "for engagingsaid surfaces, apair of spaced arms on each lever, an"equa=lizer between said leverssan operating-lever extending between the arm's of one pair'and engaged wi'th the-equalizer, arid- =9. "pair :of loop-shaped *lin'kS eaCh surrounding one pair of -arms-land the equalizerg one of the links surrounding a'portionof the operating lever '18. 'In a brakeiar-rangement for a rallwaytcar truck having 'a wheel-and axle assembly including 'rotatable brake--surfaces;-the combination of a brake support structure carried bythe'truekpa pair of brake levers, pivot pins fulcruming the levers to the structure, a power cylinder device operatively connected to corresponding ends of the levers, brake shoes carried by opposite corresponding ends of the levers for engaging respective surfaces, hand brake arms rigidly fixed on respective levers and disposed between the surfaces and a vertical plane bisecting the pins, and hand brake operating means comprising equalizer structure disposed between said levers and links connecting opposite ends of said structure tothe related arms.

9. In a brake arrangement for a railway car truck having a wheel and axle assembly including a brake rotor; the combination of a brake support carried by the truck adjacent the rotor, a pair of brake levers, pivot pins fulcruming the ,brake levers to the structure, said levers having relatively short segments projecting from the pins to opposite sides of the rotor and said lever having relatively long segments projecting from the pins in the direction away from the rotor. arms formed on said short segments, a fluid pressure device connected to the long segments for actuation thereof, and hand brake means comprising equalizer structure disposed between said levers and links connecting opposite ends of the structure to the related arms.

10. In a brake arrangement for a railway car truck having a wheel and axle assembly including a brake rotor, the combination of a brake support carried by the truck adjacent the rotor, a, pair of brake levers, pivot pins fulcruming the brake levers to the structure, said levers having relatively short segments projecting from the pins to opposite sides of the rotor and said lever having relatively long segments projecting from the pins in the direction away from the rotor, at fluid pressure device connected to the long segments for actuation thereof, and hand brake means having a connection to the short segments for actuation thereof, said connection being independent of the long segments, the hand brake means being disposed between said levers and comprising arms on the adjacent sides of the short lever segments, and an equalizer between the short lever segments, loops surrounding the equalizer and the arms, and an operating lever engaging the equalizer at a point between the loops.

11. In a brake arrangement for a railway car truck having a wheel and axle assembly in- -eluding a brake rotor, the combination of a brake support carried by the truck adjacent the rotor, a pair of brake levers, pivot pins fulcruming the brake levers to the structure, said levers having relatively short segments projecting from the pins to opposite sides of the rotor and said lever having relatively long segments projecting from the pins in the direction away from the rotor, a fluid pressure device connected to the long segments for actuation thereof, and hand brake means having a connection to the short segments for actuation thereof, said connection being independent of the long segments, the hand brake means being disposed between said levers and comprising arms on the adjacent sides of the short lever segments, and an equalizer between the short lever segments, loops surrounding the equalizer and the arms, and an operating lever engaging the equalizer at a point between the loops, the equalizer comprising a top web overlying the operating lever and supported thereby, whereby the loops and the equalizer are supported by the operating lever and said arms.

from said surfaces, arms on said first mentioned segments, power means for operating said other segments, and hand brake means comprising equalizer structure disposed between said levers and links connecting opposite ends of the structure to the related arms.

CARL E. TACK.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,355,122 Tack Aug. 8, 1944 2,436,136 Baselt Feb. 17, 1948 2,438,481 Tack Mar. 23, 1948 

